Motor controlling and regulating device.



, PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

I 0. c. BRITSGH.

MOTOR CONTROLLING AND REGULATINGYDEVIGE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED AUG. 31.1903.

2 SHEETSBHEET 1. V

PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

0. G. BRITSGH.

- MOTOR CONTROLLING AND BEGULATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31.1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L II II II I II II I UNITED STATES Patented April is, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE).

OTTO C. BRITSCH, OF NEI/V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO DAVID WALD, ()F 7 NEWYORK, N. Y.

MOTOR CONTROLLING AND REGULATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 787,722, dated April18, 1905.

Application filed August 31. 1903. Serial No. 171,343.

To all whom, it WMLZ/ concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO C. .BRI'rscH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in MotorControlling and Regulating Devices, of. which the following is aspecification.

My invention is designed as an improvement on the device shown anddescribed in Letters Patent granted May 19, 1903, No. 728,537, theobjects of my present invention being to simplify the construction, toreduce the cost and weight, and to make more efficient the operation ofthe device.

My invention relates to an electrical device actuated mechanically forstarting, for regulating or controlling the speed of the electric motor,and for stopping the same, especially suchmotors as are employed fordriving various forms of light machinerysuch as machines for sewing,embroidering, picking, and thread-spoolingand in which the electricaldevice and juxtaposed motor are supported adjacent to the machine to bedriven and to a treadle moved by power, preferably the foot of theoperator.

In carrying out my invention and upon the establishment of the electriccircuit the maxi: mum resistance is in evidence to reduce the power ofthe current, so asto start the motor slowly, and thereafter andprogressively the resistance is progressively reduced, so as togradually increase the electric current and augment the speed and powerof the machine to the maximum and simultaneously with the decrease ofthe resistance to the minimum.

. to the treadle.

vice and moves down into a cylindrical ves- 5 sel, which it loosely fitsand which contains mercury. The plungerdisplaces the mercury, causingitto rise in the cylindrical vessel and in so doing establish the electriccircuit and with said rise to progressively lessen or reduce theresistance in the electric circuit, so as thereby to decrease theresistance and increase the electric current and augment the speed andpower of the machine. There are various ways for the performance of thisoperation'and which are generically embraced in my invention and arehereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation and partial sectionrepresenting my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional .plan of the parts,Fig. 1, at the line f0 Fig. 3 is a vertical section of parts similar toparts in Fig. 1, containing, however, a modified arrangement. Fig. 1 isa sectional plan at y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detached elevation ofparts shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a modified formof plunger. Fig. 7 is apartial vertical and diagrammatic viewillustrating a modified form of my invention. Fig. 8 is a diagrammaticview illustrating still another form of my invention. Fig. 9 is a brokenvertical section of the case receiving the plunger and its cylindricalenvelop, showing a means of cooling or ventilating the same; and Fig. 10is a vertical section at the lower end of the same case of a modifiedform of the ventilating-apertures.

(0 represents one end part of a motor-case; a, a motor-shaft. 6represents a pulley secured on said shaft and adapted to receive a beltor cord passing to the driven machine, such as a sewing-machine, to beoperated.

6 is a brake-wheel secured on the motorshaft.

A cylindrical closure (2, provided with a cover 6', is secured to orformed integral with a plate 0 said parts being connected by screws 6tothe case a, and a flanged brake-shoe 0, having an arm 0, is pivotallymounted upon the plate 6 at the stud or pivot 2. This flanged brake-shoeis provided with a brakespring 0 one end of which passes through anaperture in the brake-shoe and is secured thereto, and the other end ofwhich passes freely through a slot in the brake-shoe, with the adjacentend free from connection with the brake-shoe. per end passed through anaperture in the free end of the brake-shoe, and it is preferable toemploy with the rod (Z a foot-treadle. (Not shown in the drawingsbecause of wellknown construction.) The platee is made with a lug 3 andthe brake-arm c with a screw 4, which may be turned to adjust themovement imparted by the treadle rod (Z to the brake shoe and arm as thecontact of the point of the screw and the surface of the lug stops themovement of said parts. The free end of the brake-arm c is provided witha disk 5. Within the cylindrical closure 0 is a cylindrical vessel f ofmetal, and this vessel f has a bottomless glass or insulating lining fThe closure e is made with pairs of apertures, which are filled, and theadjacent surfaces of which closure are surfaced with insulating material7 11. There are plates 8 and 12 on the outer surfaces of theseinsulating-bodies 7 11. Screws 9 pass through the plate 8, through theinsulating-body 7 and the apertures of the closure 6, and into the upperflanged end of the cylindrical vessel f.

10 is a bracket comprising a plate and a cup-guide. The cup is withinthe closure 6 against the insulating-body 11, and it is secured inposition by screws 13, which pass through the plate 12, through theinsulatingbody 11 and apertures of the closure 0 into the plate portionof the bracket 10, while the cup portion of the bracket 10 passesappreciably down into the lining f of the cylindrical vessel f. Theplate portion of the bracket 10 and the upper end of the cylindricalvessel f are insulated from one another.

\Vithin the vessel f and its lining there is a plunger g, having aplunger-rod g rising therefrom and passing through a central aperture ofthe cup portion of the bracket 10, with a head on its upper end, and aspring 14 surrounds the plunger-rod g between the head portion and thebase of the cup. An auxiliary plunger it passes through a centralaperture'in the cover 0. Its lower enlarged and insulated end bears uponthe head of the plunger-rod, and the disk 5 of the brake-arm 0 bearsupon the upper end of this auxiliary plunger. The plunger g in Figs. 1,2, 3, and 4c is preferably of high-resistance carbon or other similarmaterial, on the lower end of which is a cap of glass or porcelain 15 asa non-conductor; while on the upper end of said plunger is a metal head16, connected to the plunger-rod g and into which the carbon plunger issecured.

The motors 7;, Z, and u are shown diagrammatically and illustrate themotor, of which a is the shaft.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, 17isa cir- A treadle-rod (Z is at itsup-.

cuit-wire extending from the cup-bracket 10 and the plate 12 to thesource of electric energy, while 18 is a wire, also from the source ofthe power or energy to one commutator of the motor, 19 being the othercircuit from the motor to the plate 8, screws 9, and cylindrical vesself, which vessel is filled to about the line shown in Fig. 1 withmercury.

The closure 0 may be partially filled with a cooling medium, such as oilor turpentine, or, as shown in Fig. 9, the respective ends thereof maybe perforated, providing passage-ways 28 for currents of air, or, asshown in Fig. 10, with passage-ways 29, directlyin the bottom of theclosure for currents of air.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the removable cup guide it as a separate partfrom the bracket 10 and as setting in an aperture in the bracket 10which is of slightly larger diameter than that of the lining f of thevessel f. This when the cover a is removed makes it possible toreadilylift out of the closure the plunger g and its stem 9, which inthe structure Fig. 3 brings the cup away with it, whereas in thestructure Fig. 1 to perform this function it becomes necessary to removethe screws 13.

Figs. 1 and 3 show the plunger as slightly depressed by the action ofthe treadle-rod d upon the brake-shoe 0 and arm 0 and with the mercuryfilling in contact with the carbonplunger, whereas the initial positionof the plunger is higher and that of the mercury filling lower than thecap 15. (See Fig. 7.) In Figs. 3, 4E, and 5 the cylindrical vessel f isseparated from its supports-that is tosay, there is an inside plate20,with a tapering recess, the opposite edges of which are dovetailed,and the upper end of the vessel f is made with a tapering projection toset into this recess. By this construction after the removal of theplunger the vessel f may be removed without disturbing the connection ofits support to the closure 0.

The operation of thestructure as hereinbefore described is as follows:Starting with the initialposition of the parts, the first move ment ofthe treadle (Z, swinging the brake shoe 0 and its arm-c, is to bring thecap 15 into contact with the mercury filling of the cylindrical vessel.With the further downward movement of the plunger the mercury risesabove the circumferential union of this cap 15 and the carbon plunger 9.The circuit is then established from the source of electrical energythrough the wire 17, plate 12, screws 13, bracket 10, plunger-rod g,plunger g, mercury filling, the cylindrical vessel f at the exposedbottom thereof, from the cylindrical vessel by the screws 9, plate 8,wire 19, motor 1', and wire 18 back to the source of energy. The carbonplunger g forms a resistance which, with its initial downward movement,is at its maximum with the first contact of the mercury with the lowerend thereof. This forms a maximum resistance in starting the motor,adapted to start the same slowly. This slow movement is also measurablyassisted, because the spring 0 of the brake-shoe is still in contactwith the brake-wheel 6' upon the motor-shaft. After the plunger-isbrought farther down into the cylindrical vessel the mercury is forcedhigher up on the carbon plunger, thus reducing the resistance,increasing the current, the speed of the motor, and consequently thespeedof the machine driven. The parts are so proportioned that with thefull clownward movement of the plunger g the mercury is forced to riseto contact with the metal head 16, at which time there will be noresistance in the circuit, and the motor will run at its full speed,operating themachine driven at its full capacity.

It is apparent that the current, and consequently the speed, iscontrolled at the will of the operator by simply varying the pressureupon the foot-treadle, and consequently the position of the brake-shoe cand its arm 0, because with the raising of the arm 0' the spring 1 1acts instantly to elevate the plunger g, and the parts work insubstantial unison. A similar result is obtained by the construction ofplunger in Fig. 6, in which a plunger 2', of glass or porcelain, isformed with a spiral groove receiving a wire winding 21 between the head16 and a ring of metal on the lower end. It is apparent that thisspirallyplaced wire has a resistance substantially equivalent to that ofthe carbon plunger g and that as such plunger is forced downward and themercury rises there is less resistance in the circuit.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the plunger is, similarly operated to theplunger hereinbefore described, is to be of porcelain, glass, or otherinsulating or refractory material, and the motor Z, diagrammaticallyshown, is of the compound-wound type. The cylindrical vessel f anditsglass or insulating material lining f are provided with circuit-studsm, a, 0, 1-, and s in an ascending group or series. From these studsthere are circuit-wires 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26, the wire 22 passing fromthe lowermost stud m, and connections with the field-coils t and 'v, vbeing the series and t the shunt coils of the motor, while the positivelead is represented at 17 and the negative lead at 18. From anexamination of Fig. 7 it will be noticed that the circuit-wire 23 fromthe stud n extends toconnection with the series circuit of themotor-field at a point distant from the connection thereto of the wire22 and that the circuit-wires 24 and 25 extend to other and separatedpoints of the series circuit '0 of the motor-field, while thecircuit-wire 26 extends from the circuit-stud .s' directly to themotor-armature and has connected with it the end of the shunt-circuitwire t.

In the operation of the structure shown in Fig. 7 the current from thesource of supply after the plunger has been depressed and caused themercury to rise and make electric contact with the lowermost stud mpasses by the lead 17 to the vessel f, through the bottom thereof to themercury and to the stud m, thence by the wire 22 to a point of division,where the current is shunted,'part pass-' ing through the series coilsoof the motorfield and through the motor-armatureand part passingthrough the shunt field-coils tto the lead 18, the entire resistance inthis circuit being in evidence in starting the motor, thereby impartingto the motor a slow speed and with the maximum torque of the armature.As the plunger is is further depressed and the mercury brought intocontact with the stud n the current flowing through the series circuit0) of the motor-field travels less than the entire distance of saidcircuit. Consequently a portion of the same is cut out-that is, theportion from where the circuit-wire 22 enters to where the circuit 23enters. When the mercury rises and contacts with the stud 0 and thecurrent is through the wire 24:, a further portion of the series circuitis cut out. This is progressively true, for when the mercury contactswith the stud r, and similarly when the mercury contacts with the studs,the entire series circuit through the fields is cut out, so that theportion of the current flowing through the armature of the motor is bythe circuit-wires c and 26 to the stud s. It will thus be seen that asthe plunger descends. and the mercury rises in the vessel portions ofthe series circuit will be gradually and progressively cut out, thuslessening the resistance, increasing the current, and consequently thespeed of the motor, and necessarily the speed of the mechanism driven.

Referring to Fig. 8, m, n, 0', r, and 8 represent resistances in series,and it will be quite apparent that,electrically considered,the studs ofthis structure are the substantial equivalents of the structurehereinbefore described, for when the mercury is in contact with thelowest circuit stud m the current flowing through thefields of the motorwill of necessity flow through all of the resistances, and that when themercury contacts with the stud n and progressively with the studs 0 and'1- portions of these resistances will be progressively out out, thuslessening the resistance, and consequently increasing the speed of themotor, as well as the speed of the machine driven.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a motor, means 00-acting therewith for driving a mechanism, electric-circuit wires and amanually-operated mechanism, of a plunger device, a vessel and electricconducting fluid therein in which the plunger moves and is brought intoaction by the operation of the latter mechanism for closing the electriccircuit with its initial movement tric-circuit wires and amanually-operated mechanism acting in one direction to establish theelectrlc circuit and 1n the opposite direction as a brake, of a plungerdevice, a vessel and electric conducting fluid therein in which theplunger moves and is brought into action by the operation of the lattermechanism for closing the electric circuit with its' initial movementand through a maximum of resistance for starting the motor, and whichplunger device progressively moved lessens or cuts out resistance forgradually increasing the electric current and augmenting the speed andpower of the motor.

3. The combination withamotor, means coacting therewith for drivingamechanism, and electric-circuit wires, of a device comprising apivotally-mounted brake shoe and arm, a treadle-rod connected to saiddevice for swinging the same on its pivot, a vertically-moving plungerdevice actuated by the said brake shoe and arm, a cylindrical vesselreceiving the plunger and supports therefor, a body of mercury in saidcylindrical vessel which with the downward movement of the plunger,progressively moves along the surface thereof, acting as a switch tochange the strength of the electric current flowing through the motor,so as to decrease the resistance and increase the current.

4. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination withthe motor-shaft, a pulley thereon and a band extending to the device tobe operated, and a brake-wheel also on said shaft, of apivotally-mounted device comprising a brake shoe and arm, a brakespringextending across the inner curved surface of the brake-shoe and adaptedto contact with the surface of the brake-wheel, a treadlerod for movingthe same and means for regulating the movement of the brake shoe andarm.

5. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination withthe motor-shaft, a pulley thereon and a band extending to the device tobe operated, and a brake-wheel also on said shaft, of apivotally-mounted device comprising a brake shoe and arm, a brakespringextending across the inner curved surface of the brake-shoe and adaptedto contact with the surface of the brake-Wheel, a treadlerod for movingthe same, means for regulating the movement of the brake shoe and armand comprising a lug and an adjusting-screw passing through the arm.

6. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination withthe motor-shaft,

' a pulley thereon and a band extending to the device to be operated,and a brake device also on said shaft, of a pivotally-mounted devicecomprising a brake shoe and arm, a brakespring extending across theinner curved surface of the brake-shoe and adapted to contact with thesurface of the brake-wheel, a treadle-rod for moving the same, means forregulating the movement of the brake shoe and arm, and avertically-moving spring-returned plunger device actuated by saidtreadlerod and brake shoe and arm for completing the electric circuit atmaximum resistance and with its movement progressively lessening theresistance of the current and augmenting the strength of the motor.

7 In amotor controlling and regulating device, the combination with themotor-shaft, a pulley thereon and a band extending to the device to beoperated, and a brake-wheel also on said shaft, of a pivotally-mounteddevice comprising a brake shoe and arm, a brakespring extending acrossthe inner curved surface of the brake-shoe and adapted to contact withthe surface of the brake-wheel, a treadle-rod for moving the same, meansfor regulating the movement of the brake shoe and arm,avertically-movable spring-returned plunger device actuated by thetreadle-rod, brake shoe and arm with its movement, a vessel containingmercury and receiving the said plunger device, tubular insulating-liningto said vessel whereby the current is obliged to pass through themercury to the bottom of the vessel, the contact of said plunger with,the mercury establishing the electric circuit and bringing into thesame the maximum amount of resistance which is gradually reduced or cutout with the further movement of the plunger into the mercury, so as toincrease the current and augment the speed of the motor.

8. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination with acylindrical closure, of a cylindrical vessel within the same andsupports therefor from said closure, a bottomless lining of insulatingmaterial within said cylindrical vessel, a plunger and plunger-rodreceived within said cylindrical vessel and its lining, abracket-support through which the plunger-rod passes, a spring aroundthe plunger-rod between the bracket-support and the support of thecylindrical vessel and means substantially as shown and described formoving the plunger down into the cylindrical vessel against the actionof said spring and. a body of mercury Within said cylindrical vesselwith which the said plunger contacts, substantially as set forth.

9. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination with acylindrical closure, of a cylindrical vessel within the same andsupports therefor from said closure, a bottomless lining of insulatingmaterial within said cylindrical vessel, a plunger and plunger-rodreceived within said cylindrical vessel and its lining, abracket-support through which the plunger-rod passes, aspring around theplunger-rod between the bracket-support and the head of the plunger-rod,said plunger comprising a body of carbon forming a resistance in itslength and provided on its lower end with an insulating-cap so as to'quickly make and break the electric circuit at the line of divisionbetween said parts.

10. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination with acylindrical closure, ofacylindrical vessel within the same and supportstherefor from said closure, a bottomless lining of insulating materialWithin said cylindrical vessel, a plunger and plunger-rod receivedwithin said cylindrical vessel and its lining, a bracket-support throughwhich the plunger-rod passes, a spring around the plunger-rod betweenthe bracket-support and the head of the plunger-rod, means substantiallyas shown and described for moving the spring-returned plunger down intothe cylindrical vessel to contact with a body of mercury containedtherein, electrical connections arranged in series and connected to thesurface of the said cylindrical vessel, electric-v circuit wiresconnected therewith and electrical resistance devices with which saidcircuit-wires engage, substantially as set forth. 11. In a motorcontrolling and regulating device, the combination with a cylindricalclosure, of a cylindrical vessel within the same and supports thereforfrom said closure, a bottomless lining of insulating material withinsaid cylindrical vessel, a plunger and plunger-rod received within saidcylindrical vessel and its lining, a bracket-support through which theplunger-rod passes, a spring around the plunger-rod between thebracket-support and the head of the plunger-rod, aremovable cup-guidethrough which the plunger-rod passes and which is received in anaperture in said bracket-support and against the inner surface of whichsaid spring bears so that the plunger and plunger-rod are readilyremovable from the cylindrical closure and electriccircuit wiresextending from the said bracketsupport and cylindrical vessel.

12. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination withthe motor-shaft,

a pulley thereon and a band extending to the device to be operated, anda brake-wheel also on said shaft, of a pivotally-mounted devicecomprising a brake shoe and arm, a treadlerod for moving the same, meansfor regulating the movement of the brakevshoe and arm and comprising alug and'an adjusting-screw passing through the arm.

13. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination withthe motor-shaft,

a pulley thereon and a band extending to the device to be operated, anda brake device also on said shaft, of a pivotally-mounted devicecomprising a brakeshoe and arm, a treadlerod for moving the same, meansfor regulating the movement of the brake shoe and arm, and avertically-moving spring-returned plunger device actuated by saidtreadle-rod and brake shoe and arm for completing the electric circuitat maximum resistance and with its movement progressively lessening theresistance of the current and augmenting the strength of the motor.

14. In a motor controlling and regulating device, the combination withthe motor-shaft, a pulley thereon and a band extending to the device tobe operated, and a brake-wheel also on said shaft, of apivotally-mounted device comprising a brake shoe and arm, a treadlerodfor moving the same, means for regulating the movement of the brake shoeand arm,

a vertically-movable spring-returned plunger device actuated by thetreadle-rod, brake shoe and arm with its movement, a vessel containingmercury and receiving the said plunger device,tubular insulating-liningto said vessel whereby the current is obliged to pass through themercury to the bottom of the vessel, the contact of said plunger withthe mercury establishing the electric circuit and bringing into the samethe maximum amount of resistance which is gradually reduced or cut outwith the further movement of the plunger into the mercury, so as toincrease the current and augment the speed of the motor.

Signed by me this 17th day of August, 1903.

OTTO C. BRITSGH.

